Wilfrid Jolly is our Artisan of the Month !

Wilfrid Jolly is a goldsmith and a coppersmith, and one of the 2018 laureates of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau. After a training in applied arts, he has completed his apprenticeship with the goldsmith and Master of Art Roland Daraspe. In his workshop, Wilfrid Jolly develops projects on his own, or as part of a team to create art pieces with several crafts techniques. He stands out for his adaptability and his use of non-ferrous materials to create biomorphic objects. In this new Artisan of the Month! video, discover his know-how.

The craftsman

The coppersmith’s craft is an age-old know-how that combines the traditional techniques of the boilermaker, the goldsmith, and the sculptor. It consists in shaping copper sheets by hammering and flameworking. Wilfrid Jolly explores these unlimited possibilities of creation by blending/fusing materials such as wood, bone, and horn, reflecting his creative and unique approach to this craft.

The gesture

The precise gesture of hammering is crucial in this profession. Anyone can lift a hammer and strike. But mastering the precision, the intensity and the sound of that strike takes years of practice. Materials such as copper, zinc, pewter, iron, and brass are revealed through the coppersmith’s gestures and expertise.

The transmission

Passing on the know-how is crucial to guarantee the future of artistic crafts, above all when they are vulnerable. For the goldsmith and silversmith, working alongside an apprentice means seeing his practice with fresh eyes and thinking outside the box. The repetition of gestures and their frequency are the pillars of this process. Passing on skills is a two-way street and is a way to maintain the traditional trade over the long term and guarantee its evolution.

The Fondation Rémy Cointreau, in line with the desire to pass on and preserve know-how, has encouraged, and supported Wilfrid Jolly’s craft. It has contributed to the acquisition of a powerful hoover and a complete TIG welding system for his workshop.